Showing posts with label Trades. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trades. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2009


Brooklyn Deals with Los Angeles PF Flyers

The Brooklyn Moabs have acquired flamethrower Daniel Bard (1.2) and 2B Mark Ellis (2.50) in exchange for Lastings Milledge (.4) and Chris Coghlan (1.20).

Ellis was added for salary dump by the PF's. The heart of the deal for the Moabs was getting young stopper Bard, who can hit the high 90s with ease. He has excellent K to BB ratio and will be utilized in the near future. Ellis will provide some help off the bench with Wigginton, Teahen, Upton, Saltalamacchia, and Lowrie. The bench will be versatile and ready to step in if an injury. On the other hand, the deal led to speculation. For instance, Bob Uecker, color man for the organization, has stated that Jeremy Affeldt, Tony Pena, Matt Guerrier, as well as Wigginton and Teahen might need new apartments come deadline time.

On the otherside, Coghlan was a well-thought of member of the team who will be missed. The organization was unsure where he would end up as a regular, which led certain unnamed members of the front office to feel that he was expendable. And for Milledge, who was a throw-in a season ago at the deadline, there is no denying his talent. At this point the Flyers coveted the prospects of Milledge, and the Moabs simply had an excess of young OFs. He presented much upside, but was more than expendable.

Friday, August 22, 2008

In a series of moves, the Moabs have acquired Carlos Carrasco, Christopher Marrero, Lastings Milledge, Mark Teahen, and four players to be named at a later date. Without compromising the names of the PTBNs, Brooklyn is positive that these deadline deals for bench and bullpen arms will cement Brooklyn a playoff spot next season.

The Logic

Well all that is the beauty of a league that determines which owners are taking expansion teams before the deadline. Brooklyn management, on one hand, is not taking an expansion team and is firmly implanted in the league and organization's future. On the other hand, the other set of brothers and another league official (although has been very silent to his credit) are taking expansion teams next season. What does this mean?

It means that Yuma and Lexawhatchacallits can sacrifice the future for the present. SO, a team like Brooklyn, who is invested beyond the year must make a decision to compete in the Arm's Race or acquire future talents that will be unestablished and dangerous next season.

The latter is exactly what Brooklyn management decided was necessary for livelihood. "Could we have competed and traded the like of Cameron (Maybin), CHris (Coghlan), Volstad, Ross (Detwiler), and Elvis (Andrus)? Yes. Instead we decided to pack it in, since we need to jump three teams for the East lead and 3 teams for the Wild Card (hint: the WC is not coming from the Central!!!)," said GM Eric Caskey. "So now while others are rebuilding with current, and need-to-be protected talent, Brooklyn can look to the future and realize that for next season, the East will look up at Brooklyn and so will the rest of the league, duh."

It was a strategic move to sacrifice this season. "We apologize to the fans and beg for their support. After all we can still score runs, we haven't traded starting pitching that has contributed this season, nor have we mortgaged the future, while strengthening it," exalted Caskey. "It will come down to the bullpen and our ability to catch the ball. And I guarantee if we fall out of it, we will be dreaded to play against down the stretch for others searching playoff spots."

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Two Adds to Depth

Brooklyn has completed a pair of deals with the hopes of improving the outfield. Jason Bay had an injury plagued season a year ago and now Curtis Granderson, acquired on Draft Day for top pick Yunel Escobar and change, will begin the season on the DL and could miss up to a month with a broken hand. GM Eric Caskey viewed the question marks as potential obstacles to winning the East.

On Draft Day, Brooklyn selected at least five starting pitchers to improve the team's depth. It made Jeremy Bonderman, a Moab since day one, expendable. Brooklyn dealt Bonderman and Kendry Morales to Casselton in exchange for OF Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury will be the team's fourth outfielder as he adds speed and contact at the bottom of the lineup. Cox believes that there is power in his future as well, "Clearly Ells has a wonderful stroke. He has a good body to help his slight uppercut produce 10 to 15 homers annually." The Moabs also took Jarrod Washburn to clear Bonderman's salary. Washburn returned to the Moabs for only five minutes.

In the second deal, the Moabs swapped Jarrod Washburn and Joel Guzman to Black Mesa for outfielder Austin Kearns. While Granderson is on the DL, then Kearns and Ellsbury will platoon in right field. Kearns will also see some at-bats against lefthanders with DH. Since Brooklyn will not be using a DH at home, the New Yorker's front office wanted a strong bench. With Molina or McCann, Aki Iwamura, Jhonny Peralta, Jacoby Ellsbury or Austin Kearns, and Travis Buck, there is tremendous depth as well as lefties and righties. This bench paired with a dynamite lineup featuring all-stars at every position could have Brooklyn having the last laugh this season!

Crash Jackson
The Aftermath

Friday, April 4, 2008

Completed Trade for an Ace

Looking to upgrade Brooklyn's starting rotation, management went out and re-acquired stud Justin Verlander. Verlander was traded two years ago straight up for Ryan Howard. Now Brooklyn dealt third starter Jeremy Bonderman, long reliever Scott Baker, fireballer Jeff Niemann, and prospects Joel Guzman and Jose Tabata. Clearly, Black Mesa was desperate for depth in the starting rotation and acquired three arms who will contribute for years to come. In addition, Black Mesa added a utility player in Guzman, who can play first, third, left and right. He has unbelievable raw power. And, Black Mesa adds Jose Tabata, who might get a September callup this season. He can be a real asset in the offseason.

Coming over with Verlander is OF Franklyn Gutierrez. GM Eric J. Caskey is proud of his scouting department: "Clearly this deal would not have been done without the accumulated depth of prospects from past drafts and deals." Baker was added as a player to be named later in which Brooklyn dealt young shortstop Stephen Drew for Joe Kennedy. The other four were acquired in past drafts, as Jeremy Bonderman has only known the Moab uniform: "We hope JB all the best. He was a joy to work with and hopefully the change of scenary will jumpstart his arm." For the short time, Gutierrez will serve as a platoon RF with Travis Buck. Both men are playing in a platoon until Curtis Granderson returns. Caskey also claimed that Brooklyn is now the team to beat in the East, "We have improved the starting rotation as Wang will be the team's fifth starter despite winning 19 games in the American League. Carmona will serve as the third starter behind Oswalt and Verlander, and Carm won 18 games and had the lowest ERA in the second half last season. Our rotation should be able to compete and could endure injuries better than ever before despite dealing three pitchers for Verlander. The bullpen is deeper than ever before as Brooklyn barely missed out of the playoffs a year ago with Bob Wickman and Joe Kennedy setting up. Now those two would have been cut from the roster. Also, the lineup is just as good if not better with Granderson, Jason Bay and Troy Tulowitzki."

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Gearing Up: Trade

Moabs Acquire Arm: Andy Pettitte

Brooklyn GM Eric J. Caskey has made a much anticipated deal, landing veteran left handed starter. Andy Pettitte, for the second time in his career, will compete in BARB in Moab pinstripes. Fans are eager to see a star studded rotation of Roy Oswalt, Mark Buehrle, Chien-Meng Wang, Jeremy Bonderman and, now, Pettitte.

Caskey has obviously not given up on the 2007 season: "Pettitte's $8.75 million salary scared teams away, but makes Brooklyn so much better. No offense to Duke or Davies, but having Pettitte in the fifth spot will help my desires to contend. Besides the price was right. Montero was a good player in the organization but didn't really find his spot. " Caskey insisted,"Yeah, we are worried about being 9 games back. Who wouldn't be? Hopefully, Pettitte will stabilize my rotation and Davies and Duke can assist my team through long relief and the occasional spot start."

Many journalists speculate that the Moabs are not done wheeling and dealing. As in previous posts, it is believed Caskey will deal some of the organization's young talent for some veteran help.

Bob Uecker
The Aftermath